This Site is a resource for those interested in the genus Frailea:
Gorgeous Flowers, Unusual Shapes & Colors, Exotic Locations and
many other features make these cacti a cheerful study for all who
love and enjoy plants! These small globular to short cylindrical
plants are found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and
Uruguay. They were initially classified as Echinocactus; beginning
with Echinocactus pumila in 1838. The genus Frailea was created
by Britton and Rose, in their monumental work, ‘The Cactaceae’,
first published in 1922. The genus was named for the Spaniard,
Manuel Fraile, who dedicated many years in caring for the U.S,
Department of Agriculture cactus collection about the time that
Messrs Britton and Rose were preparing their book.

How was this site born? It coalesced from the desire of individuals
who dearly adore this genus of cacti! We wanted to create a hub of
information that might assist in familiarizing you with these terrific,
but widely unrecognized little plants. Over time, we hope to see this
site grow into a useable and reliable web resource. Whether you
are new to these fabulous plants or an old hand, there is much to
learn and much to gain in appreciating these little gems! Join in!

Did you know?
You can search the whole site for a particular word by adding the
Google bar to your browser and using the 'Search this site' facility
once you have entered
www.frailea.com

Acknowledgements

Why re-invent the wheel? The concept of this website has been unashamedly
copied from the
Ariocarpus Living Rocks from Mexico website with kind permission from its webmaster and site editors.
We salute their excellent website and hope that other genera will be
covered similarly, ultimately resulting in a comprehensive
on-line Cactus Lexicon.